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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bear — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. hand — help
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com